I empathise with Paralympic swimmer Sophie Soon over her experience at a cafe where she was told to sit outside with her guide dog (Paralympic swimmer Sophie Soon in stand-off over guide dog at Rocky Master outlet in Hougang, March 10).

Food establishments should not be allowed to deny indoor seating to visually impaired people with guide dogs, given that they are permitted entry by law and allowed in restaurants by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

Guide dogs are not the same as pet dogs. They are specially selected, undergo extensive training, and are trained to act appropriately in public spaces. If you do not disturb a guide dog, it will not disturb you.

Guide dogs function as mobility aids for some people with vision loss, and denying such people their right to share a public space with other able-bodied people should be seen as discrimination.

Perhaps more public campaigns are needed to educate food establishment workers and the community on the rights of visually impaired people with guide dogs, and more importantly, how we can better accommodate people with disabilities.

Isaac Neo Yi Chong